Rock Candy

Say it ain't so

You don’t need me to tell you that the economy seems just a bit out of whack. The ripple effects can be felt in just about every sector of every market. The New York Times reported yesterday, that one of those hard hit markets is the catfish industry. Apparently catfish farms are feeling the bite from the high cost of corn, soybeans, and diesel fuel. According to the article, many catfish farms all over the south are draining their ponds because they cannot afford to maintain them. This, in turn, is affecting the south’s beloved catfish houses. While Arkansas was not mentioned specifically in the article, I wondered just how much our local favorites were feeling the pinch. Nate Townsend, owner of Grampa’s Catfish House in Sherwood, had a lot to say on the matter. He says, “People have a preconceived notion that catfish is cheap because in the old days, you could snag them out of the river for .25 cents a pound. Now, the cost is about $5 a pound because of the cost of farming”. Luckily, none of Townsend’s suppliers have gone out of business, although he has seen both their and his own costs go up recently. Of course, like everyone else, he is tightening his belt and hoping for the best. Aren’t we all. The south just isn’t the south without abundant amounts of fried catfish!